The U.S. House of Representatives passed a continuing budget resolution on Thursday that included temporary delays for the impending $4 billion in Medicaid disproportionate share hospital cuts through Nov. 21.
The continuing resolution also included patch funding for other major healthcare programs that's slated to expire Sept. 30: the Medicaid block grant funding to the U.S. territories, money for community health centers and the community behavioral health clinic demonstration program.
All these so-called healthcare extenders will only run through Nov. 21 as congressional leaders continue negotiations on a broader package to fund the government.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and other lawmakers want to broker language with the Medicaid DSH payment cuts that will lead to some kind of program reforms, which could be unlikely since hospitals are staunchly opposed to any of their members losing any of their current funding.
Proposed reforms would involve redistribution of the Medicaid DSH allotments in a way that's more equitable across states.
The resolution now heads to the Senate, which expects to pass it next week ahead of the Sept. 30 deadline.